Young Fire Cadets get hands-on training

by Marilynn Horwood
Grand Island Dispatch, April 20, 2007

When we were kids, how many of us perked our ears up or became wide-eyed at the sights and sounds of a fire truck answering a call? And how many of us see this in our own children? Our own Grand Island Fire Company has found a great way to capitalize on this enthusiasm and excitement with its Cadet Firefighter Program.

Established in July 2006, this program gives young men and women 16 to 18 years of age the opportunity to train in various aspects of the fire and emergency medical services and to work along with fire company members in emergency situations.

Expectations Exceeded

Ryan Ayers is a 17-year-old senior at Grand Island High School who joined the Cadet program early in January. He was highly motivated to apply. “I have always wanted to be a firefighter. It’s what I want to be when I grow up,” he explained.

His expectations of the program have been exceeded. “We do a lot of hands-on stuff – about 30 to 40 percent,” Ayers said, “and in my opinion, it is the most important element.” He definitely plans to enter the next rookie class, which begins in February 2008, and he would encourage anyone interested in the program to apply because “there are a lot of good people teaching, and you learn a lot.”

The program is under the direction of First Assistant Chief Matt Osinski and lead program training officer Ed Krecisz. Fire company training officers Tammy Gorman, Laura Waz and Jessie Pettit also provide instruction and supervision to the class of Cadets, currently six in number. The Cadet program is similar in scope to the Firefighter Explorer program run under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America. However, the Cadet program is solely and directly operated by the fire company’s Board of Directors. All Cadet program policies and procedures are recommended by the company’s legal council and adhere strictly to New York state fire service law.

How to Qualify

In order to be eligible, the prospective Cadet must be 16 years old and maintain a minimum academic average of 70. Parents are required to attend the initial interview and sign a contract pledging their support to their child and to the program. All of the program’s training officers also attend the first interview, after which they make their recommendations of acceptance to the fire company’s Board of Directors. The board then conducts the second interview and makes the final decision to accept the candidate.

The cadets meet with their instructors Tuesday nights during the school year from 7 to 10 p.m. and are provided with a simplified version of the training rookie (first year) volunteers receive. Among the firefighting tasks they learn are the operation and use of Scott Air Packs, search and rescue techniques and laying and hooking up fire hose.

EMS Training Provided

The basic emergency medical service training the cadets receive includes first aid and CPR. The cadets receive full firefighter turnout gear and are required to attend fire and emergency medical calls as they are able. At no time during the Cadet Program are any of the trainees put in any danger. Their training exercises use synthetic smoke, and they are not directly involved in the firefighting. However, by performing the peripheral tasks such as changing air packs and laying and hooking up hose, the cadets help tremendously to free up company members to concentrate on the essentials of search, rescue and firefighting. When they attend EMS calls, the Cadets have no contact with the patient, but they learn a great deal by observing the procedures used by emergency medical personnel. Additionally, New York state allows the Cadets to participate in any firefighting or EMS classes offered with parental permission. When the Cadets complete the training program, they can move right into the rookie firefighter class and, as Krecisz states, they are definitely a “step ahead of anyone who has not been a Cadet.” Osinski’s enthusiasm for the Cadet program is evident in his description of its tremendous value as a recruitment and retention tool for the fire company. “This is a program – to a man – everybody wishes was around when we were kids. It gives the Cadets a sense of tradition, not only of the Grand Island Fire Company but of the volunteer fire service as a whole.”

At a recent training class, EMS knowledge was the topic of the day for Ryan Ayers, Paul Dhand, Ryan Mock, A.J. Pilliod, Jordan Litz and Don Turner, members of the current Cadet class, as they worked together to identify anatomical and physiological terms they will need to write Personal Care Reports when on EMS calls as full-fledged firefighters. Teamwork was emphasized along with problem-solving skills, and the young men responded with concentrated effort.

The Cadets who are 18 years old and receive their high school diplomas in June will complete this phase of training at that time and be ready to assume leadership roles in the fire company’s rookie class next February. As they leave the program, slots will be available for new participants.

Anyone interested in becoming a Cadet can pick up an application at the Fire Company’s Grand Island Dispatch Center on the Town Hall side or call headquarters at 773-4334 for more information. “We pride ourselves on our training program and always being ready for an emergency,” Osinski stated when describing the operational readiness of the Island’s fire company, With the Cadet program in place, the training of our town’s volunteer firefighting force is assured of that readiness far into the future.